Beater for mixing

ABSTRACT

A beater for a mixer includes a shaft ( 14 ) including a mixer attachment portion ( 16 ), the shaft defining a rotational axis (A) of the beater. A first stabilizing arm ( 18 ) extends outwardly from the shaft and a second stabilizing arm ( 20 ) extends outwardly from the shaft and spaced circumferentially from the first stabilizing arm. A first blade ( 22 ) has an upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft, a lower end located proximate the rotational axis of the beater and a leading face ( 40 ) that transitions from a substantially vertical orientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientation at the upper end. A second blade ( 24 ) has an upper end connected to the second stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft, a lower end located proximate the rotational axis of the beater and a leading face ( 42 ) that transitions from a substantially vertical orientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientation at the upper end.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.60/830,496, filed Jul. 13, 2006 and to U.S. Provisional Application No.60/911,649, filed Apr. 13, 2007, the content of both of which are herebyincorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates to mixing machines, and moreparticularly to a beater for a commercial food mixer.

BACKGROUND

Commercial food mixers such as those used in bakeries are frequently ofthe planetary-type, i.e., a cylindrical bowl is stationarily-supportedand a rotating beater moves in orbital fashion within the bowl so thatthe beater moves close to the cylindrical wall in its orbital passesaround the bowl. Various shapes of beating blades have been proposed andused.

SUMMARY

In an aspect, a beater for a mixer includes a shaft including a mixerattachment portion, the shaft defining a rotational axis of the beater.A first stabilizing arm extends outwardly from the shaft and a secondstabilizing arm extends outwardly from the shaft and spacedcircumferentially from the first stabilizing arm. A first blade has anupper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spacedfrom the shaft, a lower end located proximate the rotational axis of thebeater and a leading face that transitions from a substantially verticalorientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientation at theupper end. A second blade has an upper end connected to the secondstabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft, a lower end locatedproximate the rotational axis of the beater and a leading face thattransitions from a substantially vertical orientation at the lower endto a downwardly angled orientation at the upper end.

In another aspect, a beater for a mixer includes a shaft including amixer attachment portion, the shaft defining a rotational axis of thebeater. A first stabilizing arm extends outwardly from the shaft and asecond stabilizing arm extends outwardly from the shaft and spacedcircumferentially from the first stabilizing arm. A first outer bladehas an upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a locationspaced from the shaft and a lower end positioned proximate therotational axis. A second outer blade has an upper end connected to thesecond stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft and a lowerend positioned proximate the rotational axis. A first inner blade has anupper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spacedfrom the shaft and inward of the upper end of the first outer blade, thefirst inner blade including and a lower end positioned proximate therotational axis. A second inner blade has an upper end connected to thesecond stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft and inward ofthe upper end of the second outer blade, the second inner bladeincluding and a lower end positioned proximate the rotational axis. Thefirst outer blade, second outer blade, first inner blade and secondinner blade include respective leading faces shaped and configured tocooperate during use to produce a mixing pattern in which material beingmixed moves upward along the first and second outer blades and theninward and downward along the first and second inner blades.

In another aspect, a beater for mixing food product includes a shaftincluding a mixer attachment portion, the shaft defining a rotationalaxis of the beater. A first stabilizing arm extends outwardly from theshaft. A second stabilizing arm extends outwardly from the shaft and issubstantially diametrically opposed to the first stabilizing arm suchthat both the first stabilizing arm and the second stabilizing armextend generally parallel to a plane in which the rotational axis lies.A first blade has a lower end positioned proximate the rotational axisand an upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a locationspaced away from the shaft. The lower end of the first blade isproximate the plane, the first blade extends away from the plane, to afirst side of the plane, moving upward from the lower end and thenextends back toward the plane at the upper end. A second blade has alower end positioned proximate the rotational axis and an upper endconnected to the second stabilizing arm at a location spaced away fromthe shaft. The lower end of the second blade is proximate the plane, thesecond blade extends away from the plane, to a second side of the plane,moving upward from the lower end and then extends back toward the planeat the upper end.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features, objects, andadvantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and fromthe claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a beater;

FIGS. 2-4 are inverted, perspective views of the beater of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates the beater of FIG. 1 attached to a shaft of a mixerand located within a mixing vessel;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a beater;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the beater of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the beater of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the beater of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 10 is a side view of the beater of FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a beater 10 for use with a mixing machine isshown in an inverted orientation in FIGS. 2-4 to emphasize a mixingportion 12 of the beater. The beater 10 includes a shaft 14 having anattaching portion 16 that is used to attach the beater to the mixingmachine. The shaft 14 defines a longitudinal axis A of the beater 10. Apair of stabilizing arms 18, 20 extend outwardly from the shaft 14 atopposite sides thereof. In some embodiments, the stabilizing arms 18, 20may be formed by a continuous strip of material (e.g., with an openingformed therethrough that receives the shaft 14), or the stabilizing armsmay each be formed of a separate piece of material connected to theshaft. In another embodiment, the arms are cast with the shaft.

The beater 10 also includes a number of blades attached to thestabilizing arms 18, 20. In the embodiment shown, the beater 10 includesa pair of outer blades 22 and 24, a pair of inner blades 26 and 28 and apair of innermost blades 29 and 31. The outer blades 22 and 24 have afirst end 30, 32 connected to a respective stabilizing arm 18, 20 and asecond end 34, 36 connected to the shaft 14 at a location near a bottomend 38 of the shaft. At the second end 34, 36, each outer blade 22, 24includes an outwardly extending portion having a leading face 40, 42(i.e., the side of the blade facing in the direction of rotation duringuse) that lies in a substantially upright plane. As each outer blade 22,24 moves outward and vertically from the longitudinal axis A at anupwardly extending portion, the outer blades 22 and 24 curve such thatthe leading face 40, 42 transitions toward an upward orientation. Theouter blades 22 and 24 then move back toward a plane defined by thestabilizing arms 18, 20 and the curving continues such that the leadingface 40, 42 transitions toward a downward orientation at the stabilizingarms 18, 20.

Inner and innermost blades 26, 28, 29, 31 are also provided, with thelower end of blades 26, 28, 29, 31 meeting at the shaft 14 and the upperends of blades 26, 28, 29, 31 attached to the stabilizing arms 18, 20arms at intermediate locations thereon. In the illustrated embodiment,the leading faces of the blades 26, 28, 29, 31 are substantiallyvertically oriented at the shaft 14 and begin to angle downwardly as theblades move radially outward from the axis A and upward toward the arms,though the downward angles of the leading faces of blades 26, 28, 29, 31are much less than that of outer blades 22 and 24. Moreover, the leadingfaces of the blades 26, 28, 29, 31 become substantially verticallyoriented again near the stabilizing arms 18, 20.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the beater 10 rotates about its longitudinalaxis A during a mixing operation. In other embodiments, staggering ofthe blades may make the arrangement eccentric. Also, while the axis ofrotation is illustrated as being vertical, the axis of rotation may beoffset from the vertical. In a typical planetary mixer, the longitudinalaxis A may follow its own path, such as a orbital motion around a centeraxis B of the bowl.

FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates movement of the material representedby the arrows within a mixing vessel 46 (represented by the dottedlines) during a mixing operation using the beater 10. As the beater 10rotates in the direction of arrow 44 using shaft 45 of a mixer, a mixingpattern is provided in which material moves upward at the outer portionsof the beater 10 (between the beater and the wall of the vessel 46),inward toward the longitudinal axis A and then downward toward thebottom of the vessel. The beater 10 also forces rotation and whirled orspiraling movement of the material closer to the longitudinal axis A ofthe beater (which is not depicted by FIG. 5). In some instances, thebeater 10 imparts a degree of radial force and resulting motion to thematerial, which can be against the wall of the vessel 46 to increasefriction at the wall and create fluid shear because of the relativemotion between the beater and the vessel. In some embodiments, themovement of the material in the radial direction is away from the vesselwall, e.g., to reduce any accumulation of unmixed material at the wallof the vessel 46.

The outer and inner blades 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 31 may be formed ofstrips, rods, bars, etc. arranged in rows or staggered rows. The outerrow of blades 22 and 24 may be curved or shaped to approximate theinterior shape of the vessel 46. The clearance between points on theouter blades 22, 24 and the nearest adjacent wall of the vessel 46 maybe approximately equal along a length of the outer blade. However, thedistance between the outer blades 22, 24 and the vessel 46 wall can belarge or small compared to either the beater or vessel diameter, forexample, depending on the properties of the material being mixed orother application requirements.

Referring to FIGS. 6-10, another embodiment is illustrated in which abeater 50 includes a centrally located upper attachment portion 52 thatdefines a longitudinal axis 54 of the beater. The attachment portion 52includes an upper opening 56 to facilitate connection to a mixer shaft.A pair of oppositely disposed stabilizing arms 58 extend outward fromthe attachment portion, and may be angled downward. Outer blades 60 meetat the rotational axis 54 of the beater below at a location 62 spacedbelow the attachment portion 52. The leading face 64 of each blade liesin a generally upright plane at such location 62. As the blades 60 moveradially outward from the axis 54 and upward from location 62, theycurve such that leading face begins to transition from a substantiallyvertical orientation (i.e., substantially parallel with axis 54) towarda downwardly angled facing orientation at a point of connection towardthe distal ends of the arms 58. As best seen in FIG. 10, in theillustrated embodiment the face 64 angles downward at an angle ofbetween about 40 and 50 degrees relative to horizontal, thoughvariations are possible such as about 30 degrees. As seen in FIG. 8, asthe blades 60 move away from the axis 54, they also move away from theplane in which both the axis 54 and an arm axis 70 lie. As best seen inFIG. 10, such movement away from the defined plane continues until theblades 60 have moved upward toward the attachment portion by about 30%to 50% of the total vertical distance from location 62 to the height ofthe attachment on the arms 58, at which point the blades begin to moveback toward the plane.

A smaller, inner set of blades 80 are also provided, with the lower endof blades 80 meeting at location 82 and the upper ends of blades 80attached to the arms 58 at intermediate locations thereon. In theillustrated embodiment, the leading face of the blades 80 issubstantially vertically oriented at location 82 (FIGS. 6 and 7) andbegins to angle downwardly as the blade moves radially outward from theaxis 54 and upward toward the arms 58, though the downward angle of theleading face of blades 80 is much less than that of outer blades 60.Moreover, the leading face of the blades 80 becomes substantiallyvertically oriented again near the arms 58. Also shown are attachmentstruts 90 between the outer blades 60 and the inner blades 80. Thedownward angle of the leading face of such struts 90 increases whenmoving from the inner blade 80 to the outer blade 60.

The blade configuration tends to produce a mixing pattern in whichmaterial moves upward at the outer portions of the beater (via the twoouter blades) and then inward and downward. The inner blades providerotation and whirled or spiraling movement of material closer to therotational axis of the beater. The overall mixing pattern thus producesboth rotational movement of material about the beater axis, and a flowof material that is generally upward along the outer portion of thebeater, then inward and then generally downward along the centralportion of the beater (e.g., nearer to the beater axis).

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6-10, intended direction of rotation of thebeater is clockwise when looking downward along the beater axis per FIG.8. Such clockwise motion (along with planetary or orbital motion) canprovide a material flow similar or at least substantially the same asthe material flow depicted by FIG. 5 and described above.

The above described beaters can provide not only both rotational andradial movement of material during a mixing operation, but can alsoimpart a degree of axial movement of the material. Axial motion canbring material from one end of the beater to the other end, as intop-to-bottom motion for a vertically mounted beater. This combinedmixing action can reduce the amount of time required for initialuniformity, can increase the suspension of the materials that tend tosettle and can provide greater uniformity as additions are made to theexisting material in the vessel.

It is to be clearly understood that the above description is intended byway of illustration and example only and is not intended to be taken byway of limitation. For example, the number of rows of blades and thewidth or shape of the individual blades can be selected for a number ofreasons. The number of rows of blades in combination with blade widthestablishes what is sometimes referred to as solidity of the beater withrespect to the area swept around the axis of rotation. Increasedsolidity means that the mixed fluid travels around or is moved by morepoints or areas of contact. Provided such contact does not cause themixed material to rotate en masse, the result of greater solidity can bemore rapid mixing. Because the cross-sectional area swept by the innerblades is typically less than the area swept by the outer blades, theinner blades may be greater in number, wider and/or mounted at a steeperangle than the outer blades to impart an amount of axial motion similarto the axial motion imparted by the outer blades. In some embodiments,an appropriate blade width (inner and/or outer blades) can be selectedfor a given mixer drive to handle a desired and acceptable range offluid properties such as density, viscosity or apparent viscosity fornon-Newtonian fluids, yield stress for fluid motion, elasticity ofdoughs, particle interactions in pastes or slurries and other fluidcharacteristics affecting motion. Blade shape may be chosen for avariety of reasons, including ease of fabrication, strength, flowpatterns around the blade, avoidance of areas of stagnation around theblade, or other mechanical or fluid dynamics reason. Other changes andmodifications could be made, including both narrowing and broadeningvariations and modifications of the appended claims.

1. A beater for a mixer, the beater comprising: a shaft including amixer attachment portion, the shaft defining a rotational axis of thebeater; a first stabilizing arm extending outwardly from the shaft; asecond stabilizing arm extending outwardly from the shaft and spacedcircumferentially from the first stabilizing arm; a first blade havingan upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spacedfrom the shaft, a lower end located proximate the rotational axis of thebeater and a leading face that transitions from a substantially verticalorientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientation at theupper end; and a second blade having an upper end connected to thesecond stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft, a lower endlocated proximate the rotational axis of the beater and a leading facethat transitions from a substantially vertical orientation at the lowerend to a downwardly angled orientation at the upper end.
 2. The beaterof claim 1, wherein the first stabilizing arm is diametrically opposedto the second stabilizing arm.
 3. The beater of claim 1, wherein thelower ends of the first and second blades meet at the rotational axis.4. The beater of claim 1, wherein the lower ends of the first and secondblades are connected to a lower portion of the shaft.
 5. The beater ofclaim 1, wherein the leading face angles downward at the upper end at anangle of between about 40 degrees and about 50 degrees relative tohorizontal.
 6. The beater of claim 1 further comprising: a third bladehaving an upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a locationspaced from the shaft and inward of the upper end of the first blade,the third blade including a lower end proximate the rotational axis andspaced upward from the lower end of the first blade, the third bladeincluding a leading face that transitions from a substantially verticalorientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientation at theupper end; and a fourth blade having an upper end connected to thesecond stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft and inward ofthe upper end of the second blade, the fourth blade including a lowerend proximate the rotational axis and spaced upward from the lower endof the second blade, the fourth blade including a leading face thattransitions from a substantially vertical orientation at the lower endto a downwardly angled orientation at the upper end.
 7. The beater ofclaim 6, wherein the lower ends of the third and fourth blades meet atthe rotational axis.
 8. The beater of claim 6, wherein the lower ends ofthe second and third blades are connected to the shaft.
 9. A beater fora mixer, the beater comprising: a shaft including a mixer attachmentportion, the shaft defining a rotational axis of the beater; a firststabilizing arm extending outwardly from the shaft; a second stabilizingarm extending outwardly from the shaft and spaced circumferentially fromthe first stabilizing arm; a first outer blade having an upper endconnected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spaced from theshaft and a lower end positioned proximate the rotational axis; a secondouter blade having an upper end connected to the second stabilizing armat a location spaced from the shaft and a lower end positioned proximatethe rotational axis; a first inner blade having an upper end connectedto the first stabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft andinward of the upper end of the first outer blade, the first inner bladeincluding and a lower end positioned proximate the rotational axis; anda second inner blade having an upper end connected to the secondstabilizing arm at a location spaced from the shaft and inward of theupper end of the second outer blade, the second inner blade includingand a lower end positioned proximate the rotational axis; wherein thefirst outer blade, second outer blade, first inner blade and secondinner blade include respective leading faces shaped and configured tocooperate during use to produce a mixing pattern in which material beingmixed moves upward along the first and second outer blades and theninward and downward along the first and second inner blades.
 10. Thebeater of claim 9, wherein the respective leading face of each of thefirst and second outer blades transitions from a substantially verticalorientation at the lower end of the respective outer blade to adownwardly angled orientation at the upper end of the respective outerblade.
 11. The beater of claim 14, wherein the respective leading faceof the first and second inner blades transitions from a substantiallyvertical orientation at the lower end to a downwardly angled orientationat the upper end
 12. The beater of claim 9 further comprising a firstattachment strut that connects the first outer blade to the first innerblade and a second attachment strut that connects the second outer bladeto the second inner blade.
 13. The beater of claim 17, wherein the firstattachment strut and second attachment strut each have a respective aleading face defining a plane having a downward facing angle relative tohorizontal that increases when moving outward from the rotational axis.14. A beater for mixing food product, the beater comprising: a shaftincluding a mixer attachment portion, the shaft defining a rotationalaxis of the beater; a first stabilizing arm extending outwardly from theshaft; a second stabilizing arm extending outwardly from the shaft andsubstantially diametrically opposed to the first stabilizing arm suchthat both the first stabilizing arm and the second stabilizing armextend generally parallel to a plane in which the rotational axis lies;a first blade having a lower end positioned proximate the rotationalaxis, an upper end connected to the first stabilizing arm at a locationspaced away from the shaft, wherein the lower end of the first blade isproximate the plane, the first blade extends away from the plane, to afirst side of the plane, moving upward from the lower end and thenextends back toward the plane at the upper end; a second blade having alower end positioned proximate the rotational axis, an upper endconnected to the second stabilizing arm at a location spaced away fromthe shaft, wherein the lower end of the second blade is proximate theplane, the second blade extends away from the plane, to a second side ofthe plane, moving upward from the lower end and then extends back towardthe plane at the upper end.
 15. The beater of claim 14, wherein thelower ends of the first and second blades meet at the rotational axis.16. The beater of claim 14, wherein the lower ends of the first andsecond blades are connected to a lower portion of the shaft.
 17. Thebeater of claim 1, wherein the first and second blades each have aleading face that angles downward at the upper end at an angle ofbetween about 40 degrees and about 50 degrees relative to horizontal.18. The beater of claim 14 further comprising: a third blade having alower end positioned proximate the rotational axis, an upper endconnected to the first stabilizing arm at a location spaced away fromthe shaft, wherein the lower end of the third blade is proximate theplane, the third blade extends away from the plane, to a first side ofthe plane, moving upward from the lower end and then extends back towardthe plane at the upper end; and a fourth blade having a lower endpositioned proximate the rotational axis, an upper end connected to thefirst stabilizing arm at a location spaced away from the shaft, whereinthe lower end of the fourth blade is proximate the plane, the fourthblade extends away from the plane, to a first side of the plane, movingupward from the lower end and then extends back toward the plane at theupper end.
 19. The beater of claim 18, wherein the lower ends of thethird and fourth blades meet at the rotational axis.